We’re almost at the halfway point of 2016, measured according to the Gregorian calendar. If you want to be precise, we will reach the halfway point at midnight on July 1; because 2016 is a leap year, there are 366 days in the year. and the 183rd day is July 1. It’s a completely arbitrary point for taking stock of what the year has delivered so far, and because I’ve already started seeing other music sites spreading around lists of the best releases for the first half of the year (such as this one at Metal Injection by our collaborator Austin Weber), I decided to just go with today.
So with the halfway point of 2016 fast approaching, let’s talk about the best releases of the year so far. As long-time readers of the site are well aware, I’m terrible at making “best of” lists. I overthink it, I agonize over it, I have great difficulty comparing metal across different genres, and I have great difficulty choosing among albums I like even within a specific genre. When I contemplate making a “best of the year” list, or even a “best of the half-year” list, my brain tends to just lock up like an engine that’s had a hole punched in the oil pan.
Therefore, as usual, I’m not providing a list of my own — and my fellow regular writers Andy Synn and DGR haven’t sent me lists of their own. So I’m afraid it’s up to you.
Yes, the main point of this post is to solicit your choices. That’s more fun for me anyway, because I’m curious about what other people think and I’m always interested in making new discoveries, and I know you’ll agree that more fun for me is always a worthy goal and one that you would like to help achieve.
So, in the comments to this post, please leave your lists of the best albums, EPs, demos, and/or splits you’ve heard so far this year. Explanations or descriptions are welcome, but don’t feel you have to make time for that; a simple list is fine.
I thought about asking you for a Top 5 list or a Top 10 list, but decided there’s no reason to put an arbitrary limit on this. You might have a Top 3 or a Top 17 — it’s up to you. And there’s no need to rank your favorites unless you want to.
And that’s it. Thanks in advance to all who choose to participate in the listmaking.
119 Responses to “THE BEST OF 2016 SO FAR: AN INVITATION FOR READERS’ LISTS”
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Strong year already. The following records have thus far made a strong impression:
Wormed – Krigshu
Ripper – Experiment Of Existence
Gadget – The Great Destroyer
Gorguts – Pleiades Dust
Conan – Revengeance
Necrot – The Labyrinth
Thank you for the reminder that I need to make time for Necrot, which I stupidly managed to let slip by me. Downloading it now….
Not in any specific Order
Gorguts – Pleiades Dust
Conan – Revengeance
Irkallian Oracle – Apollyon
Blut Aus Nord / AEvangelist – Codex Nomina Obscura
I think everyone would agree that I do enough lists come year’s end as it is… You can’t make me do any more!
I could actually. But I hate to see what happens to a man besieged by a loris horde in attack mode.
Katatonia – The Fall of Hearts
Graves at Sea – The Curse That Is
Vektor – Terminal Redux
In Mourning – Afterglow
Winterhorde – Maestro
Bloodiest – self titled
Be’lakor – Vessels
Oceans of Slumber – Winter
King Goat – Conduit
Polyptych – Defying the Metastasis
Cobalt – Slow Forever
Gojira – Magma
Zealotry – The Last Witness
Exmortus – Ride Forth
Oak Pantheon – In Pieces
Xenophile – Systematic Enslavement
Lascaille’s Shroud – The Roads Leading North
Very diverse list — and a name I don’t recognize (Xenophile), so thanks for that.
In order, favorite/most played at the top:
Katatonia
Vale of Pnath
Polyptych
Obscura
Hyperion
Mightiest
Casket Robbery
This is not easy, since I tend to be about six to twelve months behind in really getting into new music and figuring out my personal favorites. A few candidates for future favorite status (and I’m probably forgetting some):
Phobocosm – Bringer of Drought
Vektor – Terminal Redux
Messa – Belfry
Cobalt – Slow Forever
Forteresse – Themes pour la rebellion
Wormed – Krighsu
Death Fortress – Deathless March
Inverloch – Distance | Collapsed
A nice, dark list. And like so many of the lists here, a good reminder of something I need to make time for that I’ve missed so far (Forteresse).
did you mean this: Forteresse – Thèmes pour la Rébellion?
it’s just out and it is a solid one, too..
nevertheless, the Death Fortress is magical in its beauty
There’s so much that I’m really excited about, but of the stuff that I’ve actually listened to:
Cobalt – Slow Forever
Ihsahn – Arktis.
Borknagar – Winter Thrice
Ragehammer – The Hammer Doctrine (better for waking up than coffee!)
Zeal & Ardor – Devil Is Fine
Perturbator – The Uncanny Valley
Mistur – In Memoriam
Sulphur – Omens of Doom
Rhine – An Outsider
At LMdM we have those as the best of the year so far:
FORTERESSE – Thèmes pour la Rébellion
LIVE BURIAL – Forced Back To Life
PLEBEIAN GRANDSTAND – False Highs, True Lows
THRANENKIND – King Apathy
HYPERION – Seraphical Euphony
VEKTOR – Terminal Redux
SXUPERION – Cosmic Void
MANTAR – Ode to the Flame
ASTRAL PATH – An Oath to The Void
WILDERNESSKING – Mystical Future
FUATH – I
COBALT –
STILLBORN – Testimo de Bautismo
FIFTH TO INFINITY – OTS
LYCUS – Chasm
Great list, and a very interesting one.
Thanks, and I would add the last Sorcier des Glaces to it also since I discovered it last week.
1. Fleshgod Apocalypse- King
2. Slice the Cake- Odyssey to the West
3. Cobalt- Slow Forever
4. Obscura- Akraosis
5. Katatonia- The Fall of Hearts
6. Schammasch- Triangle
7. Moonsorrow- Jumalten Aika
8. Aborted- Retrogore
9. The Body & Full of Hell- One Day You Will Ache Like I Ache
10. Fallujah- Dreamless
11. Haken- Affinity
12. Wormed- Krighsu
13. Borknagar- Winter Thrice
14. Vektor- Terminal Redux
15. Ihsahn- Arktis
16. Cyborg Octopus- Learning to Breath
17. Abbath- Abbath
18. First Fragment- Dasein
19. Cult of Luna- Mariner
20. The Zenith Passage- Solipsist
21. Novembre- URSA
22. Magrudergrind- II
23. The Body- No One Deserves Happiness
24. Hyperion- Seraphical Euphony
25. Gorguts- Pleiades’ Dust
26. Rogash- Malevolance
And from this list I have three new releases to explore (thank you): Cyborg Octopus, First Fragment, Rogash
That First Fragment album is staggering. In my mind, it’s the best Quebec tech-death album since Beyond Creation’s debut. Philippe Tougas is having an amazing year (the Chthe’ilist and Zealotry albums he’s on are also excellent) – Dasein could easily be one of the year’s best come December.
You are speaking the truth. I have listened to Dasein at least 15 times already, and am still picking up new nuances.
Man… Each year just seems to get better.
Obscura – Akroasis
Entropia – Ufonaut
Hyperion – Seraphical Euphony
Inverloch – Distance/Collapsed
Wormed – Krighsu
Plebeian Grandstand – False Highs, True Lows
Palace of Worms – The Ladder
Schammasch – Triangle
Mistur – In Memoriam
Thrawsunblat – Metachthonia
Virus – Memento Collider
Vainaja – Verenvalaja
Fyrnask – Forn
Sulphur – Omens of Doom
Sinistrous Diabolus – Sinistrous Diabolus II
Wode – Cloaked In Ruin
Cantique Lepreux – Cendres Celestes
Nordjevel – Nordjevel
Bhavachakra – Bhavachakra
Sinistrous Diabolus was not intended (copy pasta error), though it is a good swan song.
Gorguts – Pleiades Dust
Gevurah – Hallelujah!
Throane – Derrière Nous, La Lumière
Oranssi Pazuzu – Värähtelijä
Zhrine – Unortheta
Aluk Todolo – Voix
Qrixkuor – Three Devils Dance
Irkallian Oracle – Apollyon
Schammasch – Triangle
Vektor – Terminal Redux
Reminds me that I have a half-finished Qrixkuor review that I completely forgot I had never finished or posted. Dumb.
Nightmarer – Chasm
Sunless – Demo 2016
Oranssi Pazuzu – Värähtelijä
Amnesian – Amnesian
Replicant – Worthless Desires
Piss Vortex – Future Cancer
I need to point out that Sunless’ music runs through my ear canals so smoothly I can’t even handle it.
Therefore it kind of tops last years Ad Nauseam release. Can’t even believe I dare to write that.
The others are kind of close on one hand, but on the other nothing can be. For me personally, ofc.
Ugh, edit: the others are not close but better in some ways, but no music circled in my head that constantly since mentioned Ad Nauseam release. Thanks for reading, now check those Ohrwurms.
That Sunless demo is quite something. It’s short but sweet. Looking forward to more music from them!
I think I missed that Sunless demo, though the name rings a bell. Now looking at the Bandcamp page, they seem to include the same vocalist (Lucas Scott) as another very good Minnesota band I happened to include in a round-up post today (Pestifere).
No order, and as always, woefully incomplete. How does anyone keep up with everything?
Lathspell – Torn Cold Void
Eichenwald – Eichenwald
Hermóðr – The Darkness of December
Vordr – In The Shadow Of The Wolf
Sorcier Des Glaces – North
Naðra – Allir Vegir Til Glötunar
Fuath – I
Forteresse – Thèmes pour la rébellion
Thraenenkind – King Apathy
Bat – Wings of Chains
Cloak of Organs – Cloak of Organs
Black Fucking Cancer – Summoning Aural Hell
Oops. Mixed up BFC’s 2011 EP with their 2016 album, which is self-titled.
I’ve been sweating over this hour long album a lot lately. It’s a difficult album to get under the skin, but when it does, it grows uncontrollably. I don’t think we’re done with each other quite yet eiter.
Lots of new stuff to explore here — Eichenwald, Vordr, Cloak of Organs — and I really need to get off my ass and listen to “North”.
Been listening to the Forteresse album cause of your list, how the hell did I miss this masterpiece?? Thanks man!
Here’s mine, yayyyy!
Nervosa – Agony
Gruesome – Dimensions of Horror
Abnormality – Mechanisms of Omniscience
Nucleus – Sentient
Brutality – Sea of Ignorance
Horror chamber – Eternal Torment
Macabra – …to the Bone
Rebaelliun – The Hell’s Decrees
Sorcery – Garden of Bones
Witch Vomit – A Scream from the Tomb Below
Godless Angel – The Conjuring of Four
😉
Shit.. That Nucleus is supposed to be on my list as well. 😛
A quick list and in no particular order:
Novembre- U.R.S.A
Fuath- I
Wode- Wode
Quercus- Heart With Bread
Jute Gyte- Perdurance
Chrch- Unanswered Hymns
Messa- Belfry
Tranenkind- The Elk
Schammasch- Triangle
Dawnbringer- XX
King Goat- Conduit
Ihsahn- Arktis
No definitive order to this list yet, but here she is:
Fuath- I https://fuath.bandcamp.com/album/i
Uada- Devoid of Light http://records.eisenton.de/album/devoid-of-light
Vektor- Terminal Redux http://www.invisibleoranges.com/stream-vektors-new-album-terminal-redux/
Kvelertak- Nattesfer https://kvelertakmusic.bandcamp.com/album/nattesferd
Ashbringer- Yugen https://ashbringermusic.bandcamp.com/album/y-gen
Sheer Mag- III https://sheermag.bandcamp.com/album/iii-7 (weird, it’s not metal)
No, that last one isn’t metal, but it’s got some fucking attitude. Also worth noting: why isn’t there more love for UADA?!?!?!?! Their release “Devoid of Light” is still my front runner for best album of 2016. Check them out (again if you already have because I think you listened to it wrong).
I think its a great album and I have it on my list of things that could flesh out a best of list, but are not guarantees at this point. At the very least, I am eager to hear where this band goes, because I think this album is only one step in a very good direction. (Zhrine, Rimfrost and Nadra, among others, populate that list so far. And Ive enjoyed each and everyone quite a bit)
That Rimfrost album is killer, but didn’t quite make the cut for me. If you dig that, check out Vredehammer’s offering from this year (if you haven’t already). Happy listening!
Damn I was supposed to pick up Rimfrost when it came out. Mind like a sieve – hear preview track, forget about album.
More or less in order of release date, bound for obsolescence by omission:
Vinterblot – Realms of the Untold
Obscura – Akróasis
Vredehammer – Violator
Gloria Morti – Kuebiko
Vektor – Terminal Redux
Winterhorde – Maestro
Acyl – Aftermath
Be’lakor – Vessels
In eager anticipation:
Harakiri for the Sky
Black Crown Initiate
Insomnium
Dyscarnate
From the Vastland
I forgot that we are going to get a new album by From the Vastland this year. Looks like Sept 26 is now the release date.
Cobalt
Wode
Imperium (Come on! How is this not on anyone else’s list?)
Polyptych
Hyperion
Yliaster
Acyl
Dawn of Disease
Thrawsunblat
Gloria Morti
Kartikeya (Only a single, but super-catchy.)
I’ve been doing like (the band formerly known as) Disneyland After Dark, and I’ve been sleeping my day away. Now that I’m awake for a few hours, I’m simply catching up quickly before I have to do shit. Since I don’t have the time right now, I’ll take a few seconds to deliver a different list. (Stop trying to be different, asshole.)
Here’s kind of a “top wanted” list over things I’m convinced are good, even after only hearing a song or two. Sorted by release date.
Almyrkvi – Pupil Of The Searing Maelstrom
Ripper – Experiment of Existence
Ritual Chamber – Obscurations (To Feast…)
Tormentium – Bound To The Depths
Moonsorrow – Jumalten Aika
Vermine – Vermine
Imperial Triumphant – Inceste
SIG:AR:TYR – Northen
Abnormality – Mechanisms of Omniscience
Vektor – Terminal Redux
First Fragment – Dasein
Wormfood – L’envers
Dark Funeral – Where Shadows Forever Reign
Gevurah – Hallelujah!
Vale of Pnath – II
Thrawsunblat – Metachthonia
Sheidim – Shrines of the Void
Countless Skies – New Dawn
Maybe, just maybe, I’ll be back with what Islander actually asked for 🙂
There are also “a few” other albums floating around in limbo as well. Albums that I have, but haven’t yet found the time to listen enough to and/or write about. Such as Wode, and about 35 other releases.
THE BEST OF 2016 SO FAR…
I dread the day I have to rank my favorites of the year in fixed order. Until than, here’s a month-by-month top list (where month only indicates when I reviewed them).
~January~
1. Borknagar – Winter Thrice
2. Humanitas Error Est – Human Pathomorphism
3. Abbath – Abbath
4. Nifrost – Motvind
5. Temple of Evil – The 7th Awakening
~February~
1. Temisto – Temisto
2. Urgehal – Aeons in Sodom
3. The Burning Dogma – No Shores Of Hope
4. Deströyer 666 – Wildfire
5. Fleshgod Apocalypse – King
~March~
1. Hyperion – Seraphical Euphony
2. Krater – Urere
3. Sulphur – Omens of Doom
4. Vredehammer – Violator
5. Sorcier des Glaces – North
6. Mussorgski – Creatio Cosmicam Bestiae
7. Phazm – Scornful of Icons
~April~
1. Abyssic – A Winter’s Tale
2. Mistur – In Memoriam
3. Nordjevel – Nordjevel
4. Graveyard – …For Thine is the Darkness
5. Zhrine – Unortheta
~May~
1. Winterhorde – Maestro
2. Luna’s Call – Divinity
3. Schammasch – Triangle
4. Killing For Company – House of Hades
5. Grimness – A Decade of Disgust
6. Vainaja – Verenvalaja
7. Fausttophel – Sancta Simplicitas
~June, thus far~
Deisidaemonia – Khthonian Hymns
Svartelder – Pyres
Behexen – The Poisonous Path
Kvalvaag – Malum
Black Fucking Cancer – Black Fucking Cancer
Top 20 EPs in random order (with one slot open)
Nocturnal Graves – Lead Us To The Endless Fire/Sharpen The Knives
Selbst – An Ominous Landscape
Barús – Barús
Ifrinn – Ifrinn
Voodus – NightQueen
Deathcult – Demo ’12
The Hexagram – Demo MMXVI
Voidnaga – Demo MMXVI
Assailant / Ubiquitous Realities – Bringers Of Delusion
Putrisect / Scorched – Final State of Existence
Necrosic – Putrid Decimation
The Vision Bleak – The Kindred Of The Sunset
Gorguts – Pleiades’ Dust
Grave Miasma – Endless Pilgrimage
Lucifericon – Brimstone Altar
Au Champ Des Morts – Le Jour Se Lève
Uttertomb – Sempiternal
Maleficence – Realms of Mortification
Eyestral – Beware The Rat King
WOAH! Now that’s some lists! Very helpful. Random thought: That Sheidim album started streaming in full for the public today:
http://www.cvltnation.com/premiere-streaming-sheidim-shrines-void/
Thanks for the tip. Listening to it right now.
I forgot that Temisto came out this year. Fun record, been listening to it quite a bit, along with Ripper and Reptilian.
So many other records I have yet to spend some real time with!
Yes that Temisto album is a nice slab of filthy black metal.
.. and they tell you Rock is dying!!
Okay, now that all you commoners have posted, heres the one I know you all really wanted to read 🙂
Qrixkuor
Irkallian Oracle
Zhrine
Chthe’ilist
Ritual Chamber
Hostium
Caveman Cult
Bat
Heretic
Black Rat
Ifrinn
Witch Vomit
Shed the Skin
Gevurah
Okus
Skáphe
Prisoner of War
Black Priest of Satan
Phobocosm
Inverloch
Well, I would have been disappointed if I had known about everything on your list, which of course didn’t happen, since I don’t know about Black Rat, Heretic, Okus, or Black Priest of Satan (and haven’t listened yet to some of the others I do know about).
This Okus is pretty fucking cool! I was all set from the first guitar notes to write it off as another Entombed type band, but where Entombed would chug, these guys roar, and where Entombed would buzz, these guys shatter.
Even sounds a bit like Trap Them, but with a more unholy mien.
Thanks! Thats Gevurah is really sick too. Might find its way onto a list.
I feel like I haven’t been “wow’ed” a lot so far this year…but the gems are going to have a long life!
In no order…
Winterhorde – Maestro (I lied…this album is my favorite so far 😛 )
Wode – Wode
Mitochondrion/Auroch – In Cronian Hour (Seriously heavy…)
Vipassi – Sunyata
Vibrion – Bacterya
Wormed – Krighsu Chthe’ilist – Le Dernier Crepuscule Logistic Slaughter – Corrosive Ethics Ripper – Experiment Of Existence Tormentium – Bound To The Depths Nails – You Will Never Be One Of Us Gruesome – Dimensions Of Horror Murder Made God – Enslaved Ragehammer – The Hammer Doctrine Magrudergrind – ll Vektor – Terminal Redux Cirith Gorgor – Visions Of Exalted Lucifer Gorguts – Pleiades’ Dust Death Angel – The Evil Divide Kvalvaag – Malum Katalepsy – Blinded Sultan Desaster – The Oath Of An Iron Ritual
Sorry if its a bit confusing, I did not know how to do it in single form.
I fixed it for you (and a very nice, diverse list it is):
Wormed – Krighsu
Chthe’ilist – Le Dernier Crepuscule
Logistic Slaughter – Corrosive Ethics
Ripper – Experiment Of Existence
Tormentium – Bound To The Depths
Nails – You Will Never Be One Of Us
Gruesome – Dimensions Of Horror
Murder Made God – Enslaved
Ragehammer – The Hammer Doctrine
Magrudergrind – ll
Vektor – Terminal Redux
Cirith Gorgor – Visions Of Exalted Lucifer
Gorguts – Pleiades’ Dust
Death Angel – The Evil Divide
Kvalvaag – Malum
Katalepsy – Blinded Sultan
Desaster – The Oath Of An Iron Ritual
Thank you very much brother!!
Ripper – Experiment of Existence <– so far my favorite of the year
Vulture – Victim of the Blade
Condition Critical – Extermination Plan
Chthe’ilist – Le Dernier Crepuscule
After All – Waves of Annihilation
Cvinger – Embodied in Incense
Inculcator – Void Abecedary
Sorcery – Garden of Bones
Suicidal Angels – Division of Blood
Gruesome – Dimensions of Horror
Grave Miasma – Endless Pilgrimage
Vektor – Terminal Redux
Fallujah – Dreamless
Zhrine – Unortheta
Interment – Scent of the Buried
Deviant Process – Paroxysm
Criminal – Fear Itself
Church of Misery – …And Then There Were None…
Miasmal – Tides of Omniscience
Scorched / Putrisect – Split
Krater – Urere
Protector – Cursed and Coronated
Destroyer 666 – Wildfire
Irkallian Oracle – Apollyon
…to name a few of my favorites.
So far…
FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE – King
OBSCURA – Akróasis
BORKNAGAR – Winter Thrice
RIPPER – Experiment of Existence
HYPERION – Seraphical Euphony
BAT – Wings of Chains
CHTHE’ILIST – Le Dernier Crépuscule
OBSCURE EVIL – Midnight Forces
IFRINN – Ifrinn
ALTARAGE – Nihl
INVERLOCH – Distance | Collapsed
LYCUS – Chasms
ABORTED – Retrogore + Termination Redux
GORGUTS – Pleiades Dust
BE’LAKOR – Vessels
SCHAMMASCH – Triangle
GEVURAH – Hallelujah!
WITHERED – Grief Relic
KATATONIA – The Fall of Hearts
DARK FUNERAL – Where Shadows Forever Reign
BEHEXEN – The Poisonous Path
IRKALLIAN ORACLE – Apollyon
TERRA TENEBROSA – The Reverses
ALMYRKVI – Pupil of the Searing Malestrom
GUTTER INSTINCT – Age of the Fanatics
COFFIN LUST – Manifestation of Inner Darkness
In no particular order, with the exception of the first selection, here we go:
DEATH FORTRESS – Deathless March of the Unyielding (restored my faith in humanity)
CHTHE’ILIST – Le Dernier Crépuscule (call me insane, but I like it better than Nespithe)
FIRST FRAGMENT – Dasein (still absorbing this one)
FORN – Fyrnask (my second favourite of 2016 thus far, truly next-level black metal)
GORGUTS – Pleiades Dust (Gorguts are still on top of their game)
HOWLS OF EBB – Cursus Impassus: The Pendlomic Vows (one of the most unique acts in death metal today)
IMPERIAL TRIUMPHANT – Inceste (challenging USBM, starting to mature away from their strong initial DSO influence)
PHOBOCOSM – Bringer of Drought (very good, though sadly, a step down from Deprived)
SKAPHE – Skáphe II (oppressive and hypnotic on a different level)
THRAWSUNBLAT – Metachthonia (having not yet heard Moonsorrow, this is some truly epic folk / BM metal)
VEKTOR – Terminal Redux (not a huge thrash fan, but I can see why this will likely top many people’s year-end lists)
ZHRINE – Unortheta (maybe the best BM I have heard out of Iceland)
Looking forward to:
Ulcerate’s untitled upcoming album
Thy Darkened Shrine’s upcoming album
Deathspell Omega’s upcoming album (just fucking with you – this is as elusive as Half-Life 3…)
My heart did skip a beat when I saw the Deathspell Omega… before seeing a nanosecond later that you were just being cruel. 🙂
Well, it looks like our wishful thinking has willed Deathspell Omega’s new album into existence after all…
finally a list with skaphe!
I forgive you for not reading my list
That Skaphe really is something – I am trying to get more people to listen to it, as is the case with Fyrnask’s Forn and Death Fortress’ Deathless March…the other albums on my list are already getting “enough” press, relatively speaking.
Haven’t heard of a number of these, and will have to go check them out. I split them up into two tiers, but they’re not ranked within those tiers.
Absolute favorites so far:
Chthe’ilist – Le Dernier Crepuscule
Haken – Affinity
Thrawsunblat – Metacthonia
Omnium Gatherum – Grey Heavens
Liked a lot:
Ihsahn – Arktis
Vektor – Terminal Redux
Kvelertak – Nattesferd
Katatonia – The Fall of Hearts
Moonsorrow – Jumalten Aika
Hyperion – Seraphical Euphony
Myrath – Legacy
Wormed – Krighsu
Nice to see the appearance of Myrath.
Well, I’m at least a month behind on new releases but I’ll give it a shot. So far, two albums have stood out above the others.
Howls of Ebb – Cursus Impasse: The Pendlomic Views
Vektor – Terminal Redux
Abbath – Abbath
Borknagar – Winter Thrice
Cobalt – Slow Forever
Graves at Sea – The Curse that Is
Megadeth – Dystopia
Palace of Worms – The Ladder
Sacrilegium – Anima Lucifera
Spektr – The Art to Disappear
Todtgelichter – Rooms
There are others I’m leaving out, but I need to do more familiarizing with them. And then there are the albums by personal favorites that I haven’t even heard yet: Hexvessel, Greenleaf, Ereb Altor, Church of Misery, Novembre, Thrawsunblat, etc. So much good stuff out there.
So many good reminders in this whole comment thread, and here, in particular: Palace of Worms, Spektr, and Todtgelichter.
veneficium – demo
lycus – chasms
inverloch – distance | collapsed
skaphe – skaphe²
sol sistere – unfading incorporeal vacuum
imperceptum – collapse of existence
funeral moth – transience
temple of abandonment – from outer spheres… death (demo)
Thank you for mentioning Sol Sistere. They need more attention. As do Imperceptum and Temple of Abandonment.
Just eyeballing the lists that have appeared here so far, there seem to be some names that are appearing more frequently than others — which seems to me like an early preview of albums that are likely to make a lot of year-end lists. Eventually, I may try to make an actual count to identify the top 20 or 30 vote-getters.
Borknagar
Chthe’ilist
Cobalt
Forteresse
Gorguts
Gruesome
Haken
Howls of Ebb
Hyperion
Ihsahn
Inverloch
Irkallian Oracle
Katatonia
Mistur
Obscura
Polyptych
Ripper
Schammasch
Skáphe
Thraenenkind
Thrawsunblat
Vektor
Vredehammer
Winterhorde
Wode
Wormed
Zhrine
Sun Worship
Vektor
Cobalt
Astronoid
Sinistro
Thrawsunblat
Radiohead
Oranssi Pazuzu
Agoraphobic Nosebleed (I wish they would do this stoner/grind thing more often)
Temisto
Laster (not really into the Wederganger side of the split)
Rorcal
Zhrine – Unortheta
Oranssi Pazuzu – Värähtelija
Textures – Phenotype
Temisto – Temisto
Cvinger – Embodied in Incense
Schammasch – Triangle
Still, I am curious which records you’ve enjoyed thus far, Islander. I’m sure you’d manage naming some records, just from the top of your mind 🙂
As for what I’ve liked thus far; I’ve made a top 13, since 13 is one of the more metal numbers out there.
1. In Mourning – Afterglow
2. Cult of Lune/ Julie Christmas – Mariner
3. Deftones – Gore
4. Be’lakor – Vessels
5. Gojira – Magma
6. Omnium Gatherum – Grey Havens
7. Fleshgod Apocalypse – King
8. Obsidian Kingdom – A Year With No Summer
9. Fallujah – Dreamless
10. Moonsorrow – Jumalten Aika
11. October Tide – Winged Waltz
12. Sylvaine – Wistful
13. Novembre – URSA
Thank you for being interested in what my favorites might be. I really am not capable of trying to boil down everything I’ve heard over the last month, but I’ll say that the full-lengths that come to mind immediately from what I’ve heard over just over the last month are Thrawsunblat, Terra Tenebrosa, Monolithe, Gevurah, Zeal and Ardor, Harakiri For the Sky, Sol Sistere, Kommando, the Auroch-Mitochondrion split, and Grace Disgraced.
Til now definitely these 5:
Chthe’ilist – Le Dernier Crépuscule
Altarage – NIHL
Wormed – Krighsu
Cult of Luna / Julie Christmas – Mariner
Nails – You will never be one of us
Only five for now. Still lot’s of albums to listen to. There is a big chance that my number one will not change.
01 The Infernal Sea – The Great Mortality
02 Wode – Wode
03 Dark Funderal – Where Shadows Forever Reign
04 Vale of Pnath – II
05 Dasein – First Fragment
I feel like I’ve spent most of the start of the year catching up on previous releases. So much metal, so little time. Below the Sun, Obsequiae, Myrkur, Batushka and a few non-metal releases: Dead Can Dance and Algiers, are pre-2016 releases that have had plenty of runtime for me over the last months.
From this year, still so much to catch up on, but so far stand-outs have been:
Mechina – Progenitor
Rotting Christ – Rituals
Sarcoptes – Songs and Dances of Death
Acyl – Aftermath
Obscura – Akroasis
Fleshgod Apocalypse – King
Zeal and Ardor – Devil Is Fine (this has been my ‘walk to work’ music since it was covered here)
Not quite metal, but Youth Code has also been on high rotation, courtesy of Wil Cifer.
Stand out re-release: Be’lakor Of Breath And Bone remaster
Stand out tribute release: Ereb Altor
And I sadly have to admit still not giving enough time to Schammasch – Triangle to really get the feel for it.
In no particular order:
***Vale of Pnath – II
Forndom – Daudra Dura
Chthe’ilist – Le Dernier Crepuscule
The Lion’s Daughter – Existence is Horror
Obscura – Akroasis
Votum – Ktonik
Beehoover – Primitive Powers
Altarage – Nihil
***Krater – Urere
Cantique Lepreux – Cendres Celestes
Cobalt – Slow Forever
***Unru – Als Tier ist der Mensch nichts
Aborted – Retrogore
Fallujah- Dreamless
***Mutterlein – Orphans of the Black Sun
***Alaric – End of Mirrors
Gorguts – Pleiades Dust
Kvelertak – Nattesferd
Vektor – Terminal Redux
Withered – Grief Relief
*** Recently Obsessed With
Thanks for kicking me in the ass to produce this list. It’s something I’ve been meaning to do.
Yes that Krater album is extraordinary.
Tech-Death rules so far and i love it
Deviant Process – Paroxysm ( no comments!! )
Vale of Pnath – II ( Neoclassical orgasm pt 1 with a pinch of Starship Troopers, what more can i say!! )
First Fragment – Dasein ( Neoclassical orgasm pt 2 with a french essence as it ought to be )
The Zenith Passage – Solipsist ( excellent, also helps for the Faceless methadone program 😛 )
Aeuphoria – Æthernal Velum ( dont let production failure misguide you, so many skillfull ideas )
Veiled in Sorrow – Veiled in Sorrow EP ( classical music fits so well in skilled hands )
Fleshgod Apocalypse – King (royal death literally, full of atmospheric royalness)
Hyperion – Seraphical Euphony ( plain excellence )
The Vision Bleak – The Unknown ( more mature than ever )
Vektor: Cannot say anything about the new Vektor, maybe its too early, maybe i love so much Black Future that the next 2 albums seems futile to my ears. But i recognise their pioneering attempts with Terminal Redux and i fully respect that.
Obscura: ….ehm not doing it at all for me….i still consider Cosmogenesis their most powerfull release.
Damn. Some uber obscure shit on these lists.
My favorites, in no order would have to be:
Elffor
Firtan
Vex
Forteresse
Astronoid
Astwind
Be’Lakor
Caecus
Caliban
Countless Skies
Crystal Palace
Deisidaemonia
Omnium Gatherum
Hordak
Sojourner
Moonsorrow
Infernal Tenebra
Oak Pantheon
The Wretched End
Redemption
Thrawsunblat
Stortregn
*Spoiler Alert: Clean vocals about to be referenced*
The new Lanfear single sounds fucking killer, so that album will hopefully be quite strong. Also still have new Devin Townsend and Insomnium coming up.
Damn. I forgot Obscura simply because it came out so early in the year. Stellar release from those lads.
Also the new CB Murdoc will be excellent if the single is anything to go by…
and the new Aenaon will be amazing as well
Super excited for that one.
The ones that have earned many repeat listens so far:
Kawir – Father Sun Mother Moon
Sanctuaire – Le Sang sur l’Acier
UADA – Devoid of Light
Havukrunnu – Rautaa Ja Tulta
Kvelertak – Nattesferd
Moonsorrow – Jumalten Aika
Havukruunu came out last year
This is that rereleased EP, not the album from last November
Ah, youre talking about that one thats essentially just the EP with a couple of additional songs…gotcha
Might be old stuff but also some new tracks too – released on Bandcamp this year.
It fucking kills so I’m claiming it.
Sancutaire is brilliant. Kinda like Sorcier de glaces.
Schammasch – Triangle
October Tide – Winged Waltz
Katatonia – The Fall of Hearts
Vex – Sky Exhile
Death Angel – The Evil Divide
So far
So far:
Katatonia – The Fall of Hearts
Swans – The Glowing Man
Cult of Luna & Julie Christmas – Mariner
Zhrine – Unortheta
Ulver – ATGCLVLSSCAP
Tim Hecker – Love Streams
Obsidian Kingdom – A Year with No Summer
Naðra – Allir Vegir til Glötunar
Motorpsycho – Here Be Monsters
Lycus – Chasms
Mamiffer – The World Unseen
Matt Elliott – The Calm Before
Latitudes – Old Sunlight
Deftones – Gore
dälek – Asphalt for Eden
Cobalt – Slow Forever
Amenra – Alive
Abbath – Abbath
Be’lakor – Vessels
Chthe’ilist – Le Dernier Crepuscule
Cobalt – Slow Forever
Contrarian – Polemic
Death Grips – Bottomless Pit
Destroyer 666 – Wildfire
First Fragment – Dasein
Gorguts – Pleiades’ Dust
Hexvessel – When We Are Death
Howls of Ebb –
Hyperion – Seraphical Euphony
Schammasch – Triangle
Ur Draugr – With Hunger Undying
Zealotry – The Last Witness
Cobalt – Slow Forever
Uada – Devoid of Light
Ehnare – Douve
Sorcier des Glaces – Moonrise in Total Darkness
Cantiques Lepreux Cendres Célestes
Rïcïnn – Lïan
Terra Tenebrosa – The Reverses
Schammasch – Triangle
Fynarsk – Fórn
Tormentium – Bound to the Depths
Kurushimi – Kurushimi
Gevurah – Hallelujah!
Destroyer 666 – Wildfire
Havukrunnu – Rautaa Ja Tulta
Most anticipated right now is probably the Abigor/Nightbringer/Thy Darkened Shade/Mortuus Split
That 4-way split is sure to be one of the year’s black metal highlights.
BLAH! I’ve been so bloody slow off late. Well here goes.
1. Bifrost – Mana Ewah
2. Gehennah – Too Loud to Live, Too Drunk to Drive
3. Seven Sisters of Sleep – Ezekiel’s Hags
4. Cult of Luna & Julie Christmas – Mariner
5. Destroyers 666 – Wildfire
6. Gomorrah – The Haruspex
7. Hordak – Padre
8. North – Light the Way
9. Beastwars – The Death of All Things
10.Haast’s Eagled – II:For Mankin
11.Haken – Affinity
12.Be’lakor – Vessels
13.Bossk – Audio Noir
14.Mantar – Ode to Flame
15.Polar – No Cure No Saviour
16.Sunnata – Zorya
17.Uada – Devoid of Light
18.Haken – Affinity
19.Astronoid – Air
20.Seeming Emptiness – Heavy Rain
21.Cyborg Octopus – Learning to Breathe
22. (Non-Metal) – Hammock – Everything and Nothing
*Haast’s Eagled – II:For Mankind
I’m very surprised that this is the first mention of the new Beastwars album. It really has not gotten nearly the attention that it deserves.
I got a lot to check out!
I’m disappointed by the new Cobalt, seem to be alone on that. The new Borknagar was a nice surprise, until I picked up Olden Domain on vinyl and recognized how irrelevant their newer material is in comparison. Seems like a nice ode to days past, but nothing more.
Fyrnask has been big for me as of late, I’d rate them as one of the best bands today in the genre, but not sure about that new one either. Might take a few listens, cool to see them getting mentioned though.
In no particular order:
1. Be’lakor – Vessels
2. Dusk Chapel – Ascension
3. Wayfarer – Old Souls
4. Wildernessking – Mystical Future
5. Gorgouts -Pleiades’ Dust
6. Inert – Obliteration of the Self
7. Mantar – Ode to the Flame
8. Vex – Sky Exile
9. Enthean – Priests of Annihilation
10. Omnium Gatherum – Grey Heavens
I don’t know. Some stuff came out this year that I thought was okay.
In no particular order:
Vredehammer- Violator
Chthe’ilist- Le Dernier Crepuscle
Dawnbringer- XX
King Goat- Conduit
Abnormality- Mechanisms of Omniscience
Deviant Process- Paroxysm
Oak Pantheon- In Pieces
Katatonia- The Fall of Hearts
Gozu- Revival
Thrawsunblat- Metacthonia
Zippo- After Us
I love lists of metal albums – especially lists with a bunch of stuff I’ve never heard! You guys are the best!
Some favorites of mine that I haven’t seen on any lists so far:
Ast – Fraktale (Probably my favorite BM album this year)
Mortichnia – Heir to Scoria and Ash (Stumbled across this on Bandcamp. I LOVE this album. Check it out!)
Stormvold – IV Kataklismo
Korgonthurus – Vuohen siunaus
Darkend – The Canticle of Shadows
Drought – Rudra Bhakti EP
Woman Is the Earth – Torch of Our Final Night
Panopticon / Waldgeflüster – Split EP (I’m surprised I haven’t seen this on any lists.)
Rotten Sound – Abuse to Suffer
Universe217 – Change
Ofghost – The Awakening
Nice call on Korgonthurus and Mortichnia…completely forgot about those releases until after Id posted
Great list of things not yet mentioned, plus new discoveries for me (Korgonthurus, Mortichnia, Ofghost).
Dibs on comment 100
You are a funny man. You should know by now that we don’t redeem comment points for food, beer, or cat litter.
Since when?! Shit!
Abbath – Abbath
Bombus – Repeat until Death
Cobalt – Slow Forever
Cult of Luna – Mariner
Gojira – Magma
Grieved – Grieved
Ihsahn – Arktis
Katatonia – The Fall of Hearts
Kvelertak – Nattesferd
Oceans of Slumber – Winter
Violet Cold – Magic Night
Witchcraft – Nucleus
Wolfmother – Victorious
Ivar Bjørnson & Einar Selvik’s Skuggsjá – Skuggsjá
Mirrors for Psychic Warfare – s/t
Gozu – Revival
Nails – You Will Never Be One of Us
Astronoid – Air
Elephant Tree – s/t
Ihsahn – Arktis
Droids Attack – Sci-fi or Die
Love Sex Machine – Asexual Anger
Krater – Urere
Desolator – Spawn of Misanthropy
Abbath – Abbath
Thrawsunblat – Metachthonia
Wildernessking – Mystical Future
Murder Made God — Enslaved
Gadget — The Great Destroyer
Control — The Teeth & The Wounds
Magrudergrind — II
Brutality — Sea Of Ignorance
Batushka — Litourgiya
Infestdead — Satanic Serenades
Winterhorde — Maestro
I can’t be bothered to make my own list right now, but I’d like to add the following title to the mix, seeing as this excellent album hasn’t been mentioned above:
Svarttjern – Dødsskrik
Rotten Sound – Abuse to Suffer (2016)
Ast – Fraktale (2016) !!!
Winterhorde – Maestro (2016)
Tombstoned – II (2016)
Artillery – Penalty by Perception (2016)
Baphomet’s Blood – In Satan We Trust (2016)
Naðra – Allir vegir til glötunar (2016)
January
Ancestor’s Blood – Hyperborea
Lycus – Chasms
Abbath – Abbath
Chthe’ilist – Le Dernier Crépuscule
Nordjevel – Nordjevel
Morar – Walheim
February
Obscura – Arkoasis
Fuath – I
Frostbite – Etching Obscurity
Deformatory – Malediction
Hyperion – Seraphical Euphony
Omnium Gatherum – Grey Heavens
Omnihility – Dominions of Misery
Irkallian Oracle – Apollyon
When Nothing Remains – In Memoriam
Krater – Urere
March
Ripper – Experiment of Existence
Inverloch – Distance Collapsed
Sorcierdes Glaces – North
Wormed – Krighsu
Horrified – Of Despair
April
Moonsorrow – Jumalten Aika
Death Fortress – Deathless March of the Unyielding
Zhrine – Unortheta
The Zenith Passage – Solipsist
Nucleus – Sentient
Sig:Ar:Tyr – Northen
October Tide – Winged Waltz
Aborted – Retrogore
Wode – Wode
Schmmasch – Triangle
Plebeian Grandstand – False Highs, True Lows
This Ending – Garden of Death
Darkestrah – Turan
Uada – Devoid of Light
May
Vektor – Terminal Redux
Gorguts – Pleiades’ Dust
First Fragment – Dasein
In Mourning – Afterglow
Vainaja – Verenvalaja
Stortregn – Singularity
June
Ashbringer – Yugen
Behexen – The Poisonous Path
Vale of Pnath – II
Gevurah – Hallelujah!
Sol Sistere – Unfading Incorporeal Vacuum
Sojourner – Empires of Ash
Now that, my friend, is a goddamned comprehensive list.
Lots of new albums here. Great work!
I just thought that I’d share this years Spotify-list with you, as it is for now.
https://open.spotify.com/user/a_l_x/playlist/6fK9jteHNtfMjpFE7DGFt7